And I’m back!

We just returned from visiting the McLaughlins who, unfotunately, are spread all over Washington and Montana. So for the last week, we’ve been driving like mad with a rather car sick dog in the back seat. It was well worth it, however.

Kevin’s aunt, uncle and countless cousins all reside in Spokane which is a good seven hours from Portland. Spokane is very flat and very dry. Luckily, Kevin’s relatives are a rather lively bunch who like to BBQ, garage sale, and drink wine. We crashed with Aunt Arnie for two days and were stuffed with turkey burgers made with Johnny’s Seasoning. (I’m told this is a local secret which can’t be found elsewhere.) Poor Artie was chased around by two minature weiner dogs who had a lot of courage despite their small size. Just imagine a very large/fat black dog running for his life from two weiner dogs that, combined, weight approximately 15 lbs. We also got the visit the newly remodeled Davenport Hotel which was beautiful.

After Spokane, we packed up our traumatized pooch and headed east through the Idaho panhandle which, if you were to blink you’d miss, and into Montana. Also known as Big Sky Country. This is a very appropriate name. There were no people, cars or even homes in Montana. Just sky and mountains as far as the eye could see. If I thought Spokane was dry, I was in for a real treat with Montana. Within two hours of entering the state, my lips began cracking and my skin began falling off in flakes. I am such a rainy Portland girl, it’s pathetic. Oh yes, on the way there, we stopped off at the 10,000 Silver Dollar Bar which, not too surprisingly, is a bar that has $10,000 silver dollars on the walls. I’m a bit unsure what it all means but I have been assured that you HAVE to stop and see the $10,000 silver dollars so, I did. That’s a lot of silver.

Once we hit Montana, we headed to Kevin’s little brother, Chris, who lives across the street from Flathead Lake. I’m not exaggerating. You cross the street and there is this massive and beautiful lake. Artie was definately in his element here and spent time swimming, rolling in the dirt, and chasing grasshoppers in the grass. There were grasshoppers EVERYWHERE. You couldnt’ take a step with a cloud of chittering grasshoppers leaping into the air. It was quite creepy really. Artie saw a family of deer that, thankfully, he was unable to catch, and spent the whole time off leash since there was no one but the grasshoppers about. He was in dog heaven.

Chris took us down mainstreet (all two blocks) and the Dell’s Bar where he works. We hit the Kalispell County Fair and Rodeo and finished the trip wit a visit to M&S Meats where we picked up some buffalo jerky. Personally, I stuck with the turkey jerky. I’m just not a buffalo girl. Kevin is going to take it into work tomorrow and make his co-workers eat it. They are always taking him to asian resturants and having him try strange food. Turn around is fair play.

I have just finished unpacking but won’t be able to rest. I’m heading to LA tomorrow to visit baby D. Poor Kevin will be home alone for a whole week. I’m quite sure he won’t survive but I can’t help myself – I need to see that baby. The good news is that I will be back in the land of internet access so I’ll keep you informed of my baby adventures. Maybe if I’m really good, Suzy will let me take him back to Portland with me. Wouldn’t that be great!? He could meet the kitties and play with Artie. Man, I can’t wait!

Ok, ok, gotta to pack. Ta ta!